Costs of war

Following the events of 9/11, the U.S.-led War on Terror has remained deeply divisive among both civilians and military communities. Discussions about whether the war was “worth it” often focus on goals such as national security or promoting stability abroad. Far less attention is given to the broader human and economic costs, which extend far beyond the deaths of more than 6,000 American troops and the billions spent on military operations. The impacts on countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan are often acknowledged only in passing, despite the lasting devastation experienced there.

The Costs of War Project, based at Brown University, was created to examine the full human, economic, and social consequences of the War on Terror, as well as possible alternatives to war. We invite you to watch the short video below and explore Costs of War Project’s website for more detailed information and research methodology.

Some important information from the video:

• More than 6,000 U.S. service members were killed in the wars following 9/11, while hundreds of thousands of veterans returned with physical injuries, trauma, or long-term health complications.

• By the end of 2011, over 550,000 disability claims had been filed with the VA by veterans of these conflicts, highlighting the long-term human and financial costs of war.

• The Costs of War Project estimated that at least 138,000 civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan had died as a direct result of the fighting at the hands of all parties involved in the conflicts.

• Estimates at the time placed the total number of direct war deaths, including both civilians and combatants, at more than 236,000 people, with hundreds of thousands more physically wounded.

• Researchers also warned that indirect deaths caused by war-related damage to healthcare systems, infrastructure, food access, and the environment may ultimately exceed deaths from combat itself.

• The wars displaced millions of people, creating an estimated 8 million refugees and internally displaced persons across the affected regions.

• Early estimates from the project placed the long-term financial cost of the wars at more than $3 trillion when including military spending, veterans’ care, and related economic impacts.

• The project also examined concerns about the erosion of civil liberties, surveillance expansion, and human rights violations connected to the War on Terror.

Since the original 2011 findings, the Costs of War Project has continued to update its research on the long-term impacts of post-9/11 wars. More recent estimates suggest:

• The financial cost of the post-9/11 wars to the United States has exceeded $8 trillion when including military operations, homeland security spending, interest payments, and long-term veterans’ care.

• Researchers estimate that direct and indirect deaths connected to these wars may total between 4.5 and 4.7 million people across war-affected regions.

• The wars have displaced an estimated 38 million people, creating one of the largest refugee and displacement crises of the 21st century.

• The project has also examined long-term effects including veteran suicide, environmental damage, public health crises, and the expansion of surveillance and counterterrorism policies.